Dunfermline Delivers welcomes new businesses

Dunfermline town centre has welcomed several new businesses since Christmas. Last week we were chatting to four of those businesses …

If there’s news you’d like report, a refurbishment, expansion or new premises - we’d love to hear from all businesses - new and long-standing – please get in touch at info@dunfermline-delivers.co.uk.

Donna Gilchrist Baby Scan Studio

Donna Gilchrist’s new venture, Baby Scan Studio. Donna, a mid-wife, who works part-time for the NHS, has been overwhelmed with bookings from future grandparents and parents. “It’s very emotional – some of the grandparents have never seen a baby scan before. Customers have travelled from Dundee, Edinburgh, Perth, East Wemyss, Ireland and Kirkcaldy for their baby scans. One family wanted buy some baby things straight after the scan so so I was able to send them up to the shop, Little Peas.”

Sew Yarn Crafty and The Sew Studio

Aileen and Tristan Wright, owners of Sew Yarn Crafty opened their second
shop, the Sew Studio, in the High Street at end of February. Larger premises were needed to accommodate their popular craft workshops. Aileen explained: “I used to work on cruise liners and loved hosting the events for passengers; now I really enjoy teaching the craft classes. Our classes have a wide range of people - many of our crafters are under 50 so we stock patterns with a vintage vibe such as Tilly and the Buttons, as featured on BBC’s The Great
British Sewing Bee.”

Aileen explained; “We moved from Ireland to jobs in Edinburgh and then two years ago we were walking down Dunfermline High Street when we saw the shop for rent. We’re delighted with how things are going – turnover is up on last year’s figures although we’re in this for the long game rather than focussing on short term figures.”

Sonia Harris Interiors

Sonia Harris Interiors has returned to Dunfermline and opened her new shop in Chalmers Street – she opened her first shop in the Maygate 14 years ago. ‘My launch date was Thursday 1 March, just as the Beast from the East struck,” laughs Sonia. Her business has built up a loyal following of customers in and around Dunfermline over the last 14 years. “I’m really happy to be back in Dunfermline. For the last three years I’ve been in Aberdour but parking was an issue – now my shop is next to Glen Bridge Car Park.

Stewart, 34 and Lynva Forrest, 33, have just opened a new cafe in Dunfermline called Cafe Wynd. After years spent studying a degree in film, and roles in location management, for productions such as Outlander, Stewart is returning to a former life in the cafe and restaurant business. Previous stints in the catering business included cooking for the boutique hotel restaurant, No 11 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh, and for Harvey Nichols brasserie. Lynva is responsible for the interior – as Stewart explains: ‘I’m always taking more credit than I deserve but the design is definitely down to my wife’. The couple, who moved to Dunfermline from Edinburgh nearly three years ago, hope to offer a simple dinner menu on certain evenings. Hosting private functions is another longer term plan but in the meantime breakfast, lunch and a great array of home-made cakes are on offer.

We would like to wish you all the very best in your new ventures. Lisa, Chris & Carly